Card-supporting hypodermic syringe



Jan. 8, 1963 A. R. SHARP ET AL 3,072,120

CARD-SUPPORTING HYPODERMIC SYRINGE Filed March 30, 1960 Annabel F.5harp John L.Higgirzs Zbislaw MIRoehr 3 W,Mfimm& Nag

:A-Hrornegs tinned htates Patent CARD-SUPPORTENG HYPGDERMEC SYRINGE Annabel R. Sharp, De Land, John L. Higgins, Daytona Beach, and Zhislaw M. Roehr, De Land, Fla, assigners,

by ruesne assignments, to Brunswick Corporation, a corporation of Delaware Filed Mar. 30, 1960, Ser. No. sense 2 (Ilairns. (Cl. 128-215) The present invention relates generally to a hypodermic syringe assembly and more particularly to a hypodermic syringe assembly having means integrally formed therewith for supporting a card.

In a hospital or other institution Where many patients must receive medication by hypodermic injection, it is common practice to prepare a hypodermic syringe for injection in a central pharmacy or drug room by drawing the prescribed amount of medication into the syringe and placing the filled syringe on a tray along with other syringes containing medication to be administered to other patients. In order to avoid confusion of the syringes and to insure administering the proper medication to each patient, the patients name and other pertinent information is generally placed on a card and the card is inserted in a flexible clip or ring removably mounted on the syringe barrel. In some instances, the syringe is merely placed directly over a card bearing the necessary information, and in other instances, a syringe tray is provided with means for securely holding a card bearing the necessary information. in each of the prior art practices, however, a part or structure which is not integral with the syringe is employed. These additional parts or structures present a safety problem and provide additional chances for introducing errors which in addition to increasing operating expenses, also reduce the efficiency and safety of the procedure of administering drugs hypodermically.

It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide an improved hypodermic syringe structure for maintaining an identification card associated therewith.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a card-holding structure for a hypodermic syringe which maintains a card associated with a syringe and in a position for conveniently reading.

It is also an object of the present invention to provide a hypodermic syringe with a card-holding means which is formed integrally with the hypodermic syringe assembly.

it is still another object of the present invention to provide a hypodermic syringe with improved means for supporting a hypodermic syringe containing a medicament.

A further object of the present invention is to provide an improved means for supporting a hypodermic syringe containing a medicament in a position so that the medicament does not drain from the syringe.

Other objects of the present invention will be apparent from the detailed description and claims to follow.

The foregoing and other objects of the present invention which will be evident to those skilled in the art are readily achieved by providing a card engaging or holding means integrally with one of the structural elements of a hypodermic syringe assembly which frictionally engages a card or the like, and maintains the card in a predetermined association with thehypodermic syringe, such as in a syringe supporting position or in a position which enables the card to be easily read. As the card-holding means of the present invention is in each instance formed in or by a structural part of the hypodermic syringe assembly, it is unnecessary to use or handle any additional detachable part in order to insure properly indicating the "the contents of the syringe or the name of the patient to receive the medication contained therein.

The invention will be best understood by reference to the following detailed description when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawing illustrating several embodiments of the present invention, and wherein:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of a form of the present invention showing a card mounted on a hypodermic needle protective sheath;

PEG. 2 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view showing a modified form of the invention shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of a hypodermic needle sheath mounted on a hypodermic syringe and an identification card used therewith; and

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the hypodermic needle sheath and card of FIG. 3 and assembled. in locking engagement.

In some instances, the cards which are used for identifying the medicament and the patient to receive the medicament are provided with a small circular opening extending therethrough. It is thus, desirable in some instances to utilize the said opening in the cards for retaining a card associated with a hypodermic syringe to identify the contents of the syringe or to support the syringe in a desired position. Thus, in M68. 1 through 4 of the drawing there are illustrated embodiments of the present invention in which a card having a circular opening is mounted on a hypodermic syringe assembly.

In FIG. 1, a specially formed hypodermic needle sheath 9%) is removably mounted in scalable engagement with the outer end 91 of a hypodermic syringe barrel 92. The hypodermic sheath 96 has the outer or forwardly end thereof gradually tapering inwardly to form a rounded small diameter end section 93 having preferably a circular cross-section with the outer end thereof of a smaller exterior diameter than the circular opening formed in a card 95 over a substantial portion of its length, The remaining portion of the end section 93 which gradually increases in diameter toward the outer or rear end thereof, has a larger diameter than the said opening in the card 95. It will thus be apparent, that the small diameter end section 93 of the sheath 9%) can be readily inserted into a circular opening in the card 95" and be moved in an axial direction therethrough until the outer surface of the end section 93 frictionally engages the portion of the card 95 defining the circular opening therethrough. With the identification card thus mounted on the syringe sheath 90, the card is held in association with the syringe until the sheath 90 is removed from the syringe 92 or the card withdrawn from the sheath.

It will also be evident that the card 9 5 when frictionally mounted on the sheath ll, as above described, the end of the hypodermic needle ?7 enclosed within the sheath 90 is maintained in an elevated position above the remainder of the syringe so that there is no tendency for the medicament within the syringe barrel to drain from the syringe, as sometimes occurs when a filled hypodermic syringe is allowed to remain in a horizontal position.

A slightly modified form of the foregoing embodiment of the present invention is shown in PEG. 2, wherein a hypodermic needle sheath Hill which is mounted on the outlet of a hypodermic syringe (not shown) and having the lateral surfaces thereof defined by a cylindrical wall section 1111 which gradually tapers inwardly toward the outlet or forward end thereof. The outer end 102 of the sheath 1% is closed against the entry of bacteria into the interior of the said sheath by means of a gas permeable bacterial filter disk 103. The disk its is mounted transversely of an axial passage M54 in the end of the sheath 1% and is held permanently in place by having the end Wall surfaces 105 turned inwardly as by crimping or molding at points spaced axially outwardly thereof. As

in the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the end section 102 has a smaller outer diameter along a substantial portion thereof than the diameter of a passage in the card 95 while the remainder of the said end section 102 has a diameter greater than that of the said passage. The card 95 thus can be frictionally held on the sheath 1%, as shown in FIG. 2.

A still further modification of the embodiment of the invention shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 is shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 wherein a special locking arrangement is provided between a specially formed identification card 110 and a protective hypodermic needle sheath 111 of a hypodermic syringe 112. The needle sheath 111 is adapted to being rernovahly mounted on the syringe 112 in the usual manher and is provided with a generally cylindrical end section 115. The end section 115 has at least one lug memher 117 formed on the cylindrical lateral surface thereof intermediate the ends thereof and preferably spaced a short distance inwardly from the end wall section 116. In the form illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4, two lug members 117 are provided at diametrically opposite points on the end section 115.

The identification card 110 used with the structure of sheath 111 has a specially shaped opening 12% formed therein having a cross-sectional form corresponding to that of a vertical section passing through the sheath 111 at a point where the lugs 117 are disposed. The opening 120 can be provided with a diameter slightly greater than that of the sheath 111 and lugs 117 so that the card 11% will more readily pass inwardly over the end of the sheath and lugs 117. It is also preferred to arrange the opening 12% on the card 110 so that a maximum diameter section thereof does not lie in a plane parallel with an edge of the card or in the same plane in which the lugs 117 are normally disposed when in a position of rest. Thus, with the opening 12%- and the lugs 117 of the sheath 111 disposed in the relative positions shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, there is a reduced tendency for the card 110 to become disengaged from the sheath 111 when mounted on the card, as shown in PEG. 4, since the lugs 117 frictionally engage the outer lateral surface of the card 110 when in locking engagement therewith (see FIG. 4).

As with the embodiment of the invention shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the syringe-supporting arrangement of the card shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 is also adapted to keep the syringe from rolling laterally when placed on a supporting surface and maintains the end of the hypodermic needle elevated above the remainder of the syringe barrel so that there is no tendency for the medicament to drain from the syringe. The degree to which the end of the needle is elevated, of course, depends on the distance the hole in the card is spaced from the edge of the card. To be effective, however, the hole should be spaced from the edge of the card so as to maintain the end of the hypodermic needle at least as high as the liquid level of the medicament therein.

Others may practice the invention in any of the numerous ways which are suggested to one skilled in the art, by this disclosure, and all such practice of invention are considered to be a part hereof which fall within the scope of the appended claims.

We claim:

1. In combination with a hypodermic syringe assembly including; a hypodermic syringe barrel section adapted to contain a medicament, a finger rest section formed on the said barrel section, a piston-plunger member reciprocably mounted in said barrel section, a hypodermic needle mounted on a discharge outlet of said barrel section, and a hypodermic needle protective sheath mounted on said discharge outlet and enclosing said needle, the improvement comprising; a hypodermic needle protective sheath having an outer end section with gradually inwardly tapering lateral wall surfaces which are adapted to frictionally engage an opening in a card member and retain said card member associated with said sheath and a card member having a passage formed therein mounted on said sheath and frictionally engaging said lateral wall surfaces.

2. In a hypodermic syringe assembly comprising; a hypodermic syringe barrel section adapted to contain a medicament, a finger rest section formed on the said barrel section, a piston-plunger member reciprocably mounted in said barrel section, a hypodermic needle mounted on a discharge outlet of said barrel section, and a hypodermic needle protective sheath mounted on said discharge outlet and enclosing said needle, the improvement comprising; said hypodermic needle protective sheath mounted .on the discharge outlet of said hypodermic syringe barrel section having an outer end section provided with at least one projecting member which extends laterally therefrom a greater distance than adjacent axial portions of said end section, and said projecting member providing at least one enlarged diameter section adapted to engage a lateral surface of a card member mountable thereover and adapted to retain said card member associated with said sheath against accidental separation from said sheath.

References (Iited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 559,567 Chamberlin May 5, 1896 1,670,738 Odiorne May 22, 1928 1,687,502 Marcy Oct. 16, 1928 2,206,775 Hooter July 2, 1940 2,254,449 Rasmussen Sept. 2, 1941 2,618,263 Lasko et a1 Nov. 18, 1952 2,671,449 Dann Mar. 9, 1954 2,677,373 Barradas May 4, 1954 2,727,516 Lockhart Dec. 20, 1955 FOREIGN PATENTS 650,290 Germany Sept. 15, 1937 

1. IN COMBINATION WITH A HYPODERMIC SYRINGE ASSEMBLY INCLUDING; A HYPODERMIC SYRINGE BARREL SECTION ADAPTED TO CONTAIN A MEDICAMENT, A FINGER REST SECTION FORMED ON THE SAID BARREL SECTION, A PISTON-PLUNGER MEMBER RECIPROCABLY MOUNTED IN SAID BARREL SECTION, A HYPODERMIC NEEDLE MOUNTED ON A DISCHARGE OUTLET OF SAID BARREL SECTION, AND A HYPODERMIC NEEDLE PROTECTIVE SHEATH MOUNTED ON SAID DISCHARGE OUTLET AND ENCLOSING SAID NEEDLE, THE IMPROVEMENT COMPRISING; A HYPODERMIC NEEDLE PROTECTIVE 